Chapter 7: The Present Arrives

At nine in the morning, I was still half-asleep when Rachel’s urgent call rang.

I rolled over, groaning, and fumbled for my phone on the nightstand, squinting at the sunlight streaming through the blinds. My pillow was still warm, and I could hear birds chirping outside.

I groggily answered, "What’s wrong?"

My voice was thick with sleep, words tumbling out in a half-yawn. I sat up, stretching, ready for whatever drama was about to unfold.

Rachel’s voice was panicked.

The urgency in her voice snapped me awake faster than a triple-shot espresso. I knew that tone—something big was about to go down.

"Something’s happened, something’s happened, something’s happened!"

I raced to the window, heart pounding, half-expecting to see a black SUV parked outside. Something was coming—and this time, it wasn’t just another game invite.